- Music doesn't just allow you to express emotions
and entertain others, it's a discipline that takes focus.
It keeps you grounded even when
you're reaching for the stars.
My next guest knows that as well as anyone,
and he teaches that to hundreds
of underprivileged kids in New Orleans.
He's today's "Rad Human."
(upbeat music)
So from The Roots of Music,
we have founder and director Derrick Tabb on the line.
What's up, Derrick?
- How you doing?
- I am doing so well!
Oh, your voice is so deep, I love it.
- (laughs) Thank you, nice to meet you.
- Yeah! It is lovely to meet you.
So explain to everyone what Roots of Music is.
- Roots of Music is a nonprofit organization
down in New Orleans that is dedicated to serving kids
nine to 14 and giving them a safe environment.
It's an anti-crime program.
We give kids 30,000 meals for free,
1,400 bus rides for free,
we give 150 instruments to kids, mentorship,
it's a really safe environment for kids
to come and build friendships,
whether they were gonna be enemies,
and we just have kids to come here and enjoy themself
and have a good time. - That's amazing.
- Man, instruments,
and I was a kid that grew up around music,
like that's all very expensive.
I mean, the meals, everything.
That's very cool that people donate
and make this possible for kids.
I was one of those kids that didn't have money,
so any handout or trash bag from the church (laughs)
of clothes or anything, I would take.
So I mean, from one of those kids,
thank you so much for doing this.
And speaking of the money,
you started this all out of your own pocket, right?
- Yes, I started this program - Wow
with $20,000 for 19 kids
that I knew would benefit from a program like this,
and they really wanted to be a part of this,
so we started it with 19 kids, supposedly,
that were supposed to come from around the neighborhood,
send out a bus for the kids and when they came,
42 kids got off the bus.
- Oh, not 19! (laughs)
Were you prepared for that?
- No, not at all.
Not at all.
The next week, we were over 65,
and the following week, we were over 100.
100 kids just wanted to be a part of a program
and you know, it just took feet to walk on his own.
Kids just wanted to be a part of it.
We invited 'em.
But then we had to say hold up,
this is starting to get up out our budget,
out of the range, you know, a little bit.
And just give kids the opportunity to be musicians.
- Yeah, and honestly just create a culture
within them that's creative and positive,
and something, you know, a lot of kids,
especially me, I didn't grow up with money,
a lot of kids without money, you know,
yes, you can get creative,
but at times, you get hopeless
that there's no opportunity for you.
So this is... what you've done here is an amazing thing.
And did you, did I hear right that you actually
started this after Katrina?
- Yes, 'cause I started it in 2007 after Katrina.
- [Kelly] Wow.
- The need for the kids to have something to do
was just at a all-time high.
We were dealing with trying to build the economy
and a infrastructure of the neighborhoods and everything,
and I felt like the kids were being left behind.
They wasn't being thought about.
- It's such a necessary thing I think
for so many neighborhoods across the states,
and well, in the world.
It's a really amazing thing what you're doing.
Did you have a mentor who changed your life
and kind of pushed you in this direction
and how you got here?
- Yes, my junior high band director,
Mr. Donald Richardson, was my mentor.
He had started a program,
and it was a program that every kid wanted to be a part of.
And I wanted to be a part of that program,
and I used to think if, you know, damn,
I know Mr. Richardson's thinking,
save a lot more kids like me,
I was dealing with a lot
going through the death of my grandmother at the time,
and I started being rebellious in school
and started getting in a lot of trouble.
He became my disciplinarian.
That's why at Roots, discipline is first.
In order for me to take a kid anywhere,
I teach them anything, discipline is first.
- Yeah, I am in.
We also have a couple of his students joining us.
Let's say hi to Anae and Tada!
How y'all doing?
- Hi! - How you doing?
- Oh my gosh, first of all, I love your nickame, Tada.
That is my favorite. - Thank you.
So Derrick, how has being in the program
helped kids academically, you think?
- Well, this program, getting discipline is first,
and academically, I watch kids that start off
with D averages, C averages,
raise their grades up to A and B averages.
All we do is we give them the environment
that they wanna come to be a part of
and with that, you can ask a lot more of kids.
So when they come with a D, we ask for a C.
They come with a C, we ask for a B.
They constantly ask more of the kids,
and they give it to us because this is the place
that they want to be at.
- So I mean, Anae, I'll start with you.
Ladies first.
What has The Roots- - Hi. (laughs)
What has The Roots of Music done for you?
- It's done a lot.
I've been here for a year and a half.
My older sister, she got to travel,
and I thought that was really cool.
I play clarinet, which is honestly really hard.
You have to make sure your fingers are covering the holes,
you're playing on time, and all that.
Through this, I've learned how to be disciplined,
and I've also learned how to set goals for myself,
to you know, to put myself on, you know, higher.
- Yeah.
- And since I've started,
I've been in eight parades for Mardi Gras,
and I've been out of state.
Texas, Georgia,
and I hope to be able to travel out the country.
I've also made many friends,
and I've learned some new things here.
- That's awesome.
My favorite thing of childhood,
any kind of thing where all the kids were.
It's like sometimes it's the best place to find friends,
and that's like really what can root you
through your whole school career,
so friends definitely has to be a big one up there.
So Tada, what about you?
How has your life been affected?
- Basically, I was born into The Roots of Music.
When I was three, Uncle Derrick had raised me
when my dad wasn't around,
and so I was, first I was three years old
when I was in my first parade.
And ever since then, I've been like
probably like over a hundred since now.
And this program has affected me not only by music,
but by academically-wise,
because I really struggle with math,
and it helped me become- - Oh, me too.
Yeah, it helped me become like a better person in school
with math, and now I'm making like B averages in school
and I will strive for A averages now.
- Man, congratulations!
- Yeah.
- I'm gonna be honest, it was hard for me to get Bs in math.
I was not, - Yeah.
that was my worst subject.
Derrick, how has the programs finances
been affected by the pandemic?
I imagine it has.
- Yes, this has been a really trying year this year.
With the school, this budget,
our budget is close to $800,000.
And we're doing that high,
and this year with the COVID going on,
and donors are not easily giving up this year
as they usually, just because they can't afford it.
And you know, everything.
Grants are not coming in,
so it's been a real challenge this year.
- Yeah, money is tight for a lot of people right now.
You're right about that.
Well, we at "The Kelly Clarkson Show"
wanna help The Roots of Music keep growing
and keep changing kids' lives,
so we have a little something for the program.
We're gonna give you all $10,000 just to-
- Oh, thank you! - Thank you!
- Yes!
Just to put - Thank you so much.
something towards it. - Thank you.
Hey, just so you know, I was a kid just like y'all.
Like I literally, I don't know how you live,
but I didn't have anything,
and literally music was my outlet,
and the fact that people did sponsor me, you know,
to be able to be a part of choir things
and to be able to travel,
I would never have been able to afford that
without people putting their money up for me.
So I hope that this'll help somebody in your program
or some kids in your program,
and thank you so much, Derrick,
and thank you, Anae and Tada.
I love y'all kindness today. - Thank you.
Well, y'all stay safe and y'all stay healthy.